Manatee moves to fire teacher for incompetence

Here's something you don't see every day.

The Manatee school district has taken steps to fire a tenured educator for failing to educate.

The Herald-Tribune reports that Buffalo Creek Middle School math teacher Laurel Davis didn't give enough tests, failed to grade some assignments and regularly turned in late lesson plans. On top of that, nearly half of her students declined in their FCAT performance.

District officials have counseled Davis and offered her more training, to little success. Meanwhile, parents requested to move their kids out of her class.

Most of the time, teachers facing this fate resign quietly. But Davis isn't going down without a fight.

She's requested a formal hearing, with the backing of the Manatee Education Association.

"It should not be easy to terminate a teacher's employment," MEA president Pat Barber told the Herald-Tribune. "The administration should be required to show they have good cause for doing it."

Comments

[Mark]

Albert, you need some help with anger management. Why do you dislike teachers so much, didn't you learn anything in school?

[Snoopy]

redisni-
Dude- what are you smoking?

[redisni]

I am sorry snoopy, but the police officer and the nurse will get an attorney to fight back any accusation of mismanagement, be real please.

A beginner teacher, under the current salary scheme, can barely get representation through a public defender. Nevertheless, if the teacher is lousy rest assure (you to BEE) that any teacher hauling their 12 hours daily workload will want him/her gone.

Unfortunately, tenure was created out of the necessity to shield teachers from capricious administrators and parents. Case in point, Middleton HS (an intervene D school) has gone through four different administrations each one initially blaming (blasting) the teachers (NCBTs and other top of the line educators) of them being the cause of Middleton's performance; a year into the new administration and, after a 70% teachers' turnover rate, administrators realized the problem was students' discipline and parent involvement, something teachers told administrators all along. Unfortunately, administrators were changed (rewarded) to better positions before any improvement was made to the school grade.

The point is, don't put your hands over fire for an administrator because you can get an STD.

[Albert Campbellsville,Ky]

Here we go again,we are so much better than the rest of you uneducated slobs.We should not be scrutinized,questioned or spoke ill of in any way.You are no better or worse than anybody else,I just dont know where you people get off.You should be fired at will kile the rest of us.Some one explain to me why you think you are all so infallible.Your so smug,self-rightous and arrogant,that is why so many people dont like you.

[Snoopy]

If we were talking about a police officer who failed to uphold the law or a nurse who failed to safely provide care to patients then nobody would think twice about firing that person. But if we talk about a teacher who fails to perform then God forbid that we let that person go. No, let's keep this teacher in place and see how many more students get left behind.

[Through The Looking Glass]

Looks like the first post was spot on.

[Joy Unspeakable]

In my 20+ years in the classroom, I have seen very few incompetent teachers. What usually happens is a teacher who is outspoken will "irk" the administrator and complain about the wishy-washy discipline, the preferential treatment given to some kids and their parents, the blatant violation of school policy, or the watered-down curriculum. Then, the administrator manipulates the teacher's class list and fills up his/her class with behavior problems and low-functioning students, students who couldn't pass the FCAT if the answers were given to them. Also, I have seen administrators assign extra duties that teachers couldn't possibly meet, such as directing traffic when parents pick up their kids or pushing a heavy trash can past cafeteria tables. I have seen more incompetent administrators than teachers. However, the bumbling administrators don't last too long in a school; they are usually promoted to the county administration building and receive an impressive title with a bigger salary.

[terminator]

can we start getting rid of incompetent politicians, state bureaucrats, school board members, school superintendents, school district administrators, principals, vice-principals, etc?
gosh, wouldn't be many people left over!
good for this teacher. Let them prove it in an administrative hearing and in court if necessary. That's what the system was set up to do: provide due process.
how many years has this teacher received positive evaluations? What were her past evaluations and does the teacher have a thick personnel file.
Seems like a lot of unanswered questions.
Jeb, Gates, Obama and their ilk would just love to dismantle Florida's tenure system and be able to fire teachers at will.
Too bad for them. Teachers need to rise up and get rid of politicians who are unfriendly to the profession.

[Carrot On A Stick]

Blankets got it wrong.

It is ok to make blanket accusations about parent/students and administrators and use anecdotal true incidents as evidence to condemn the whole, but this standard can not be used against teachers.

When will we learn that there simply is no such thing as a bad teacher.

[Blankets For All]

Between the three distinctive groups of student/parents, teachers and administrators, at least they all seem to agree that blacket accusations against each other and blanket refutations in defense against each other are what gets everyone through the day.

[BOHICA]

Teachers don't want incompetent teachers among them. In addition to the harm it causes students, incompetence hurts the profession's reputation and makes the job of following teachers more difficult.

What we want is for administrators to do their jobs in identifying incompetence early on, providing guidance and assistance to try to improve weak teachers, and documenting the problems and corrective actions taken. Although most incompetence shows itself early on, administrators don't want to admit they made a mistake in hiring so they let things slide or play "pass the trash". Also, most administrators lack enough classroom experience to be of any real value in helping weak teachers improve. And while few administrators would admit to it, requiring documentation is an important safeguard for good teachers who might otherwise be steamrollered for "other reasons".

[silly rabbit]

BEE- I'm willing to do just that. I think you see a lot of resistance because teachers are use to being treated like they're always the problem when it usually isn't the case. We fight an up-hill battle on a daily basis and mostly hear that we're "unqualified" when results don't pan out. I love my career but it does take a toll on my spirit. Remember- You get what you pay for (resulting in unqualified people in classrooms). Hold everybody involved equally accountable. (Teachers, Administrators, Parents, Legislators, & District Admin.)

[JohnM]

What is wrong with the "formal hearing?" Are the administrators willing to stand up in the light of day and say this teacher is incompetent? Or, just because the teacher is asking the students to do the "work" required to learn the material and the parents are complaining because little Johhny/Mary was asked to read an assignment before class, which is what led to the decline in FCAT scores. I say bring on the "formal hearing" with all parties at the table.

[Blame Everyone Else]

Are there any teachers willing to stand up and demand that one of their incompetent peers should be axed?

Or is it the "blame students, parents and administrators" to defend the profession at all costs.